Automobile floor mats are used to protect the floor of the automobile from undue wear and damage. Another benefit of typical automobile floor mats is that they provide added safety and reduce the dangers associated with slipping. These features are often accomplished by constructing automobile floor mats from injection-molded plastic. This process allows for manufacturing floor mats with textured non-slip surfaces as well as various other shapes, contours and textures. Additionally, automobile floor mats are often constructed with a ridge extending vertically along perimeter of mat. This ridge acts to retain liquid and dirt when placed on the floor of an automobile, and aids in cleanup and maintenance. A further advantage of automobile floor mats is that they can be removed for cleaning, and they can be replaced when worn or damaged.
Automobile floor mats are often sold in retail stores, and therefore there is a need for packaging and displaying the floor mats to potential customers. An important feature of such packaging and display devices is that they can secure multiple floor mats together, while also providing an efficient means for displaying the mats to a customer.
One previous device for displaying automobile floor mats used hangers made from cardboard arranged to overlay the top of the automobile floor mat, whereby the floor mat is affixed to the cardboard by means of staples. An additional section of the cardboard overlay is formed into a hook that can be hung on a display rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,531 to Bagne discloses a display device for car rugs and mats that is made of a single cardboard support piece which has an extension on one end which is folded over to form a flap. The cardboard support piece and car mat are wrapped in plastic which is heat-shrunk, thereby securing the merchandise to the cardboard. A hole or slit is formed in the plastic over the hole in the fold of the cardboard support piece. The plastic hook is inserted in this hole or slit, allowing the entire package to be hung from a display rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,654 to Reuben discloses a system for displaying two-mat sets. The packaging system includes a hanger for suspending the floor mat package from a display bar. A single pouch is attached alongside the floor mats for holding certain accompanying fastening components. Staples penetrate the mats, the pouch, and the hanger. The staples serve to hold the mats, pouch and hanger together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,694 to Wallach discloses a display package for displaying four-piece automotive floor mat sets. The display package comprises a first envelope and a first pair of floor mats disposed in a layered disposition within the first envelope. A second envelope, or pocket, is piggy-backed on the first envelope and a second pair of floor mats is disposed in a layered disposition within the second envelope. The display package is characterized by clamping means having opposing clamping surfaces for bracketing the first pair of mats and exerting generally opposing forces perpendicular to the outside surfaces of the first pair of floor mats. The opposing forces increase the friction between the first pair of floor mats and also between the clamping surfaces and the first pair of floor mats' outside surfaces. The increased friction secures the first pair of floor mats in relation to each other and in relation to the clamping means without penetrating the first pair of floor mats.
Previous automobile mat hanging and display devices suffer from several deficiencies. Prior devices are often made of cardboard and therefore lack sufficient strength and durability. Additionally, the prior devices often must be stapled to the automobile mat itself, thus damaging the mat. The staples must be forcibly extracted by the purchaser using tools such as pliers, or a screwdriver. In addition, this system is unable to handle four-piece floor mat sets since staples will not penetrate a stack of four mats. Additionally, prior mat hanging devices may not hold more or less than a specific number of mats. In other words, previous holders are designed for only one application (two mats or four mats, for example), and cannot be adapted for other uses. Prior mat hanging devices are also deficient in that they may only be used once. Paper or cardboard display devices cannot be reused for other mats.
Current heavy-duty automobile floor mats can be large and due to their flexibility, hard to lift, transport, and hang by hand. This difficulty increases where there are multiple mats to be transported or hung at once. Therefore, there is a continuing need for an inexpensive means for gripping and holding multiple floor mats during transport and display in a retail store.